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by distractedgemini



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 11:54:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22849723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/distractedgemini/pseuds/distractedgemini
Summary: An unexpected visitor is waiting for Bucky
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Maggie OC, James "Bucky" Barnes/Maggie OC





	1. Chapter 1

It would be gross under-exaggerating by saying it had been a rough day. All Bucky wanted to do now was take a hot shower and sink into his large, soft bed. He turned his door knob and shoved it open with his shoulder.

Maybe I’ll just go to bed now and shower in the morning, He thought to himself.

Bucky threw off his t-shirt and jeans and pulled on a pair of sweatpants.

“HOLY SHIT!” he yelled out in shock as he turned around, seeing a female figure sprawled out across his bed. The body stirred, turning over to lay on her back.

“Maggie?” Bucky whispered, slowly approaching the bed, “Is that really you?” he asked.

You felt the bed dip down next to you and was slowly pulled from your sleep. Blinking your eyes open, you were met by the confused/shocked face of James Buchanan Barnes.

“Hi handsome,” you mumbled, a sleepy smile spreading across your face.

“Please tell me this isn’t a dream,” Bucky softly said, “Please, please let this be real,”

Bucky watched as your goofy grin turned into a mischevious smirk and instantly regretted his choice of wording.

You launched yourself up and pinched Bucky’s sides, “Damn it Mags!” he yelled as moved to tackle you, but you dodged and began to tickle him.

“No!” he yelled, laughing so hard tears were beginning to fall from his eyes, “Stooooop,” he whined. Thankfully you were distracted momentarily by laughing at him and he pulled you into his lap, wrapping his arms around you tightly.

You didn’t fight it. This was exactly where you wanted to be.

Bucky’s voice gently caressed your ear, “Damn I’ve missed you, doll.”

You simply nodded, knowing if you opened your mouth to speak you’d start to cry.

He held you tightly, only loosening his grip so that you turn and wrap your legs and arms around him, resting your head on his shoulder, breathing him in.

“What brings you back so soon?” he finally asked, pulling away to get a good look at you, “Uh, also why are you covered in blood?”

“Don’t worry, that’s just an old stain,” you said shrugging, looking down at your dark green scrubs. “I’m back because I was injured. Now, before you freak out,” you said, placing your hands on his chest, “I am okay and I’ve recovered, okay?” Bucky nodded, eyes glued to yours. “During a mission, we were ambushed. I was able to take out a couple of men before I was hit. A grenade had been thrown at me, but it missed by almost 10 feet and I was able to get a bit further away before it went off, except I was hit by shrapnel and shot, absolutely destroying my left leg.”

You moved to sit next to Bucky and pulled your pant leg up to show him the prosthetic that connects to your leg mid-thigh. Bucky reached out and gently traced the line separating machine and skin.

“What were you doing in the middle of everything? I thought you were stationed wherever your camp was so that you’d be prepared as soon as the injured came back?” He asked, shifting to caress your cheek.

“Normally yes,” you said quietly, “but this was a high-risk mission. In order to keep as many of our men alive, I needed to be there. We had really good intel, but you know, something always goes wrong.” You rolled your eyes, nudging Bucky, trying to lighten the mood.

He let out a soft, half-hearted chuckle before pulling you closer, inhaling deeply, desperately wanting to remember everything, the way you smelled, how you felt in his arms. Everything.

“James,” you pulled away and cupped his face in your hands, “I’m not going away again, I was discharged.”

You watched as his eyes lit up, “Does that mean?”

“I’m here to stay, Bucky. I never have to leave you, not ever again.”

Finally, Bucky pulled you in and your lips connected to his as silent, salty, happy tears flowed down your cheeks.

You were finally home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> flashbacks are in italics

_It had been the coldest winter you had ever endured. You guys had been lucky somehow and got to test out some new high tech gear and equipment that kept all the tents warm, so as long as you all stayed inside, everything was okay._

_Except everything was chaos._

_Enemy agents had managed to track one of yours back to camp and did everything they could to destroy the warmth your shelter provided._

_Everyone scattered, into the forest. You helped as many as you could escape before the entire camp was blown to bits._

_“Maggie!” you heard someone yelling through the blasts, gunshots, and piercing winds, “Maggie! Over here!!!” you looked around you until you saw a branch waving gently. It would have looked almost natural had a gloved finger not been exposed. You checked to make sure the coast was clear before you ran at full force. You had almost made it, but someone grabbed you and pulled you behind a large tree._

_Eyes deeper and bluer than anything you’d ever seen in your life were staring at you intensely, holding you against the tree with a finger to his lips, signaling you to stay quiet. Once you nodded, the hand left you and a gun was drawn._

_They easily aimed through the trees, and once you heard a body landing in the snow did you realize they had seen an agent invisible to you._

_They nodded and followed you to your destination._

_Jamie, another nurse, was cradling an agent’s head, keeping pressure on a wound through his shoulder, tears running down her cheeks only to freeze. She hadn’t had time to put on her thick gear to protect her from the cold._

_You were in the middle of taking off some of your own when the agent who had helped you, stopped you, removing his own and placing it on the half-frozen woman. You began working on the agent._

_Thankfully, you had been in the process of moving medical supplies from a truck to one of the tents. You literally could not have asked for better timing. Once everything that could be done was done, you turned to look at the agent who had essentially saved all of your lives._

_As you opened your mouth to thank him, you noticed his own blood-soaked abdomen. “Shit.”_

_“Hi, handsome,” you greeted as the man’s eyes began to open._

_He blinked slowly and was surprised to find himself in a hospital. “What the hell?” he croaked._

_“Right.” You sat down next to him and began to explain. “After you gave Jamie, the other nurse, your coat, you began to go hypothermic. I don’t even know why I let you do that in the first place, but anyway, you went unconscious. You also had a beacon on you with the Avenger’s symbol so I pressed it and ‘Earth’s Mightiest Heroes’ came and saved the entire camp. They allowed me to stay with you to fix you up, and uh, now we are at the Avenger’s Compound in D.C.”_

_Bucky blinked slowly as images began to flash through his mind. He could see you dragging him slowly through the snow. Feel large familiar arms lift him. The sound of an engine. You. Your gray eyes. Nothing._

_“Umm, so yup. Anyways, I am glad you were the one to give Jamie your gear since you are Mister Speedy Heal-y guy and all.”_

_“Sp-speedy, heal-y?” he said slowly, looking at you almost in disgust. “You find out I am a Super Soldier and decide to c-call me..”_

_“Yup.” you said shrugging, popping the p. “Well, now that you are awake you have a very angry friend waiting to lecture to you.” You smiled widely and blinked quickly as you ran out the door and Steve Rogers walked in._

_“WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!” was all you could hear as you ran down the hallway giggling to yourself._

You woke up and turned your head to look at the still sleeping man, the images of your first interactions, both good and bad still playing through your mind. You had fallen asleep wrapped in his arms, yet now, he was half laying on you, arm across your stomach, leg draped over your leg and his face was on your chest. You took your time memorizing everything. The gentle way his breath was moving in and out of his lungs. The serenity and contentedness on his face. The easy upturn of his lips. You ran your fingers gently through his hair. You had always been so envious of how soft his hair was until you started stealing his shampoo and conditioner. He liked that you smelled like him a bit and insisted you use his soap as well. You inhaled and that strictly Bucky smell took over your senses. Then, you closed your eyes and enjoyed his warmth. 

In your half-awake, half-asleep state, you heard a peaceful smile escape Bucky’s lips. You turned over to face him and opened your eyes, his blue ones looking right back.

“Sorry,” he said softly, “I didn’t mean to wake you.” He tucked your hair behind your ear and gently rubbed his thumb over your cheek. 

“Don’t be sorry, I’m glad I get to be awake with you.” You leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips, only being interrupted by growling stomachs. 

You giggled and pressed your forehead to his, “Breakfast time?” 

“Definitely.” 

You ran out before him, calling that the last one there was sleeping on the couch. Rather than pick up his already slow pace, Bucky launched himself towards you and threw you over his shoulder, running the rest of the way to the kitchen. 

“BUUUCKKY!” you whined, “Why do you always do this!!!”

Bucky set you down on the countertop and wrapped his arms around you, “Because there is no way in hell I am sleeping without you ever again.” 

His voice was soft and low in your ear pulling you closer. You rested your cheek on his for a moment before he pulled away as if nothing had happened. 

“Plus you keep calling out bullshit like that when you know I can beat you in a race, I think you like it when I do it.” 

He was now staring at the contents of the fridge, deciding what he would make for breakfast when you heard someone clear their throat behind you. 

You whipped your head around to see Steve glancing between you and his friend.

“STEVIE!” you shrieked, jumping off the counter and jumping up to wrap your arms around his neck. 

He chuckled as he caught you, “Hey Mags! When did you get back?” he set you down to get a good look at you, “You seem to be all in one piece.” 

Bucky dropped the whisk he was holding and turned around wide-eyed, concern etched into his face. 

Then you started laughing. Like really laughing. Bucky relaxed and picked the whisk back up, letting the lovely sound fill his ears as he continued working on breakfast. 

Steve looked like a mixture of confused and worried, and when you finally calmed down, you apologized. 

“About that,” you started, placing your foot on the stool next to you, revealing the prosthetic. “My leg got blown off.”

Steve’s eyes grew wider than the time he found out you and Bucky were together, and even that was impressive. “Mags-”

You cut him off, cupping Steve’s face in your hands, forcing him to look up at you. “Steve, I promise I am alright. I’ve had plenty of time to heal both physically and mentally. Still working on it but I am in a good place.” 

Steve nodded and whispered to you as he pulled you in for another hug, “I am so glad you are back and okay.” 

“Me too, Stevie, me too.”

Soon, Bucky had finished making all your favorites. Instead of getting plates out, Bucky threw everything into tupperware containers and pulled you along with him. Knowing he wouldn’t tell you, you didn’t bother asking what he was up to. 

Then, you were on the roof, the sun rising high in the sky casting a glow on everything around you. Bucky led you to a spot near a plot of wildflowers and pulled out a blanket from heaven knows where and set everything out. 

Bucky watched you as you took in your surroundings, pleased that the garden he had been tending to up here had survived and that you were there, glowing in the light of a new day. 

“This… this is incredible.” You reached over the food and cupped his cheek gently and placed a soft kiss on the edge of his mouth.

Bucky just smiled. 

You had both easily eaten everything Bucky had made between jokes and teasing, soft, Sunday morning type kisses and the kind that made your body ache, tears from laughing too hard and tears of sadness. 

Later you and Bucky were sparring in the gym when Tony made an announcement throughout the compound, right on time

Bucky rolled his eyes but listened to the announcement all the same.

While Bucky had been distracted, you maneuvered quickly and detached your prosthetic leg and threw it at him as if it were a javelin.

“What the-” you heard a satisfying thunk as your leg struck Bucky.

You turned around quickly, pretending to have been stretching the entire time.

“Did you, uh… Maggie… did you just throw your leg at me?” He asked, voice incredulous as he slowly walked over to you, blinking, eyes wide, brows furrowed.

You turned your head to look at him, feigning surprise. “James, why ever would I do that?” You hopped around and closer to him casually and placed your hands on his arms, leaning in, “it isn’t like you never played dirty.” 

Offering him the sweetest, most innocent smile you could, you hopped to the edge of the ring and left him (and your leg, just to prove a point) behind. 

“Ya know, Em, Tony wasn’t supposed to say I was dying. He’s just dramatic!” Bucky yelled after you only to sprint back to the sparring ring to get your leg.

_A week after the mission which allowed you to meet Bucky, you received a phone call from Helen Cho and ten minutes later you were back at the compound._

_“He is refusing to let anyone else near him,” she said, obviously annoyed as she led you to the emergency wing._

_Before you, in all his shirtless glory, lay Bucky in visible pain._

_Upon seeing you, his eyes lit up, but before he could do anything, you rebroke and set his leg._

_“Hi, there handsome.”_

_Bucky looked over and saw you sitting next to him, a book now on your lap._

_Then realization dawned on him._

_“You broke my leg,” he said, shocked, “and with no warning.”_

_“Well, technically you broke your leg. I rebroke it because your magical speedy healing powers began to heal with it in the wrong place.”_

_“Yeah, but why the hell did you-”_

_“I was in the middle of watching my niece. She is four months old and this is seriously the first time my sister has had time without her. So yeah, I broke your leg, again to heal it, with no warning to you, Sir Super Soldier. And you get to explain to my dear, anxious sister why I had to take her baby to work, rather than stay with her at my apartment where I promised we would be.”_

_Bucky blinked. It was all he could do._

_Your voice got quieter this time, “Why wouldn’t you let anyone else help you?”_

_This time, Bucky sat up, “Because I trust you.”_

_After that, you were asked to stay on in the infirmary wing due to a special request by a certain super-soldiers super-soldier best friend. At least until you were sent out again on a mission with shield._

_“Maggie,” Helen called to you from her desk._

_You walked over, knowing exactly what she was about to tell you._

_“They’re on their way back from a mission and-”_

_“Bucky is hurt” you finished for her._

_She nodded and you got ready._

_You were suturing a long stab wound in his back when Bucky broke the silence._

_“Why did you stay?”_

_You tied off another suture before answering. “Because I’ve known a lot of soldiers. None quite like you or Rogers, but trust was always something earned, and when you had it, you knew they’d trust you with their life, literally and figuratively. I stayed because I know how hard it is to come by, and well, Rogers briefly told me that you never go get injuries checked because you don’t trust the doctors.” You began to continue the sutures. “And,” you added, “I stayed because I wanted to.”_

_The next few times you helped stitch up Bucky Barnes was done in comfortable silence. Soon, however, he began to open up, and you did too. It was one of those easy relationships where both parties feel totally comfortable with the other._

_“Hey Mags?” Bucky asked slowly as you finished cleaning a gunshot wound._

_“Yeah, Buck?”_

_“Can I take you out? On a date?”_

_He watched as you smiled, placing a bandage over the hole in his flesh arm. His heart rate picked up slightly until he saw you sadly shake your head._

_“I’m heading out on a mission, tonight.” You pushed back slightly in your chair that way you could really see him._

_“Tonight,” he repeated. “Of course you’re leaving tonight.”_

_You could see this disappointment in every one of his handsome features and feel the way your heart hung heavy._

_“Yeah, right. I actually have to pack up now. I’m sorry, I would have told you sooner, but I only just found out.”_

_Bucky nodded and watched as you stood up and walked to the door._

_You turned, hand on the doorknob, “See ya soon, handsome.”_

_At the end of your mission, approximately a month later, you received an urgent call from Tony Stark. Thankfully everyone was packing up anyways and you were rushed off to the compound._

_Once there, you ran. Faster than you’d ever ran before, probably. You choked back the tears that threatened to spill over and slowed your pace as you reached the emergency wing. Through the windows, however, you saw a healthy-looking Bucky Barnes, standing there, joking with Steve Rogers._

_Worry quickly turned into fury._

_“DAMN YOU BARNES!” you yelled as you stormed through the doors, “I HAVEN’T SLEPT IN DAYS WHEN I GET A CALL FROM TONY SAYING YOU ARE BASICALLY ON THE BRINK OF DEATH AND NOW HERE YOU ARE, STANDING AND LAUGHING!”_

_Steve quickly exited the premises and Bucky grinned at you nervously, trying desperately to hide his terror._

_“Uh, so what you’d rather me be lying on a stretcher, dying?” he said, trying to lighten the mood._

_“YES. YES, I WOULD.” you threw your hands up in the air and collapsed on the couch facedown in the waiting area._

_Bucky was about to try another stupid remark but stopped when he realized you were sobbing._

_“Hey,” he said gently, “Hey, you’re okay. It’s okay.”_

_“No,” you managed to get out between sobs, “no because I thought you were dead. You were dead and I wasn’t there to save you.”_

_Bucky pulled you into his arms and gently rocked you as you cried._

Bucky knew the kind of games you liked to play and decided to play along. He slowly walked down the stairs to the floor his apartment was on and grabbed a snack before heading in where you were sitting on the bed in a pair of shorts and a large t-shirt.

“Oh, there you are,” you said as nonchalantly as possible.

Bucky chucked your leg on the bed, “It seems your leg walked off without you.”

“Huh, I was wondering where that went,” you shrugged. 

There was silence as Bucky got ready for his shower, and you watched as he peeled his sweaty shirt off and you gasped. 

“Oh, no, Bucky,” you said as you hopped over to him to examine the large bruise that had formed where your leg struck him. “I am so sorry, I didn’t think I threw it that hard.” 

You gently traced your fingers around the bruise and placed a few kisses on it.

“Maggie,” he said rolling his eyes, still playing, “what are you talking about,” he turned around and dropped the smirk playing on his lips when he saw tears welling up in your eyes.

“Babe, hey, it’s fine, what’s wrong?” he pulled you into his arms and relished in the feeling of you leaning into him.

“I thought it would just be funny. I didn’t think it would leave a mark…” you mumbled into his chest. “But now there is a giant bruise on your back and it’s my fault,” you pulled away to look up into his eyes, “sparing is one thing, doing something, especially as a joke that leaves a mark… Buck, I promised I wouldn’t be the one to cause you pain and I broke that.” 

Bucky visibly melted as he listened, pulling you in closer. “Mags, it’s fine. I didn’t even realize there was a bruise, plus it will be gone by the time I am out of the shower.” 

“But I still hurt you-” 

“Maggie, listen to me,” he said and you looked back up into his eyes. “I love you. I know you didn’t mean to bruise me, and as I said, I didn’t even notice. I would forgive you but there is nothing for me to forgive. Okay?” 

You took a deep breath but finally said okay. 

“Good. Now, I need to shower. After maybe we could watch a movie?” you nodded and gave him a quick peck, smirking to yourself as you smacked his butt as he walked away.


End file.
